


Lightning Rod (Or a Study in Little Touches)

by KittsFics



Series: The Private Lives of Criminals [1]
Category: Villains Series - V. E. Schwab
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, thats it thats the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 00:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20555225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittsFics/pseuds/KittsFics
Summary: Victor hated being touched. But Sydney had noticed a handful of times over the last few years that Mitch was the exception.





	Lightning Rod (Or a Study in Little Touches)

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything longer than a paragraph in 6 years, other than essays. I'm not quite happy with this, I just want to get back into the habit by projecting onto my favourite characters.

Victor hated being touched. But Sydney had noticed a handful of times over the last few years that Mitch was the exception.

There were times when Mitch's tread grew heavier, movements slower, everything carefully telegraphed, designed to be avoided if desired. And about half the time Victor did; but then there were times where Mitch's hand would brush along the back of Victor's, or the small of his back, or the back of his neck when Victor sat on the couch. He always relaxed at the touch, breath slipping out through his teeth and the tense line of his shoulders slumping slightly. 

Other times it was just a look, Mitch catching Victor's eye and holding it with the same effect. Syd reckoned it grounded him; keeping Victor in the here and now, out of his head, and reminding him he's not alone. 

\---

The first time she noticed it is in a motel, about a month after they've left Merit. Victor's sat at the table, staring out the window, frowning. Mitch appears from the bathroom, towel in one hand, yawning and asking what they wanted for food. Syd just grunts, having no real opinion, but Victor doesn't respond, not seeming to have heard at all. 

Mitch just blinks, moves towards him slowly, and when he gets within touching distance Victor twitches slightly. Mitch reaches out and gently brushes his knuckles along Victor's shoulder and repeats the question quietly as Victor turns to face him properly. 

\---

There's soft music playing in the kitchen when Syd leaves her bedroom, stretching. Victor is asleep on the couch with Dol draped over him, drooling onto his shirt. She tiptoes past him to find Mitch about to make pancakes, batter ready in a bowl on the counter as he chops up fruit and berries, humming along to the music. 

"Morning." Mitch reaches round to give her a one armed hug and starts to pour batter into the frying pan. There's a sudden grunt from the other room, as if a large dog had just jumped up from someone's chest, and then the soft tap-tap as said large dog comes to investigate the food smells.

The next few minutes become a bit more chaotic as Mitch makes a stack of pancakes, Syd reaches for plates to set the table and both try to avoid tripping over Dol. When they finally manage to get everything ready without anything worse than Dol stealing a couple of strawberries, Victor still hasn't appeared. 

Mitch rolls his eyes and pads through, Syd sticks her head round the door to see Victor with one hand clutching his chest and the other dramatically flung over his face. She catches the words "dog" and "never again" muttered under his breath as Mitch runs a hand through his hair, tugging lightly on the blonde strands.

"Come on. Breakfast."

\---

A soft murmur of voices comes from the main room when Syd and Dol get back from their walk, and she tip-toes up to the doorway. Victor is sitting on the couch, head bowed, and Mitch is kneeling in front of him, not touching but talking quietly. After a moment her reaches forward slowly and places his hands on Victor's thighs, leaning up to gently press their foreheads together. Syd retreats without disturbing them, catching Dol by the collar before he can bound in and tugs him back towards her room.

\---

Syd's irrationally angry when she hears movement in the hall, quiet footsteps and doors opening. Victor had promised her he wouldn't leave, and, even though she knows he lies and hides a lot of things, she hadn't thought he'd lied about that. He'd said earlier that it was too dangerous for any of them to leave tonight, and she'd made him include himself in that.

She climbs out of bed before really realising she was doing it and Dol stirs from the foot where he's lying at the foot of it, tail wagging once. She eases her bedroom door open and heads down the hallway, but pauses at Victor's half open room, she can see his coat still hanging over the back of his chair. It had been snowing all day, he wouldn't have left the flat without it. 

So, instead of continuing on to the front door she turns back to the main room, but it's quickly obvious that he isn't in there. Frowning she heads to Mitch's ajar door, knocking gently before pushing it open. She stops dead as Mitch looks up, shifting to lean up on one elbow. But that's not what stops her, there's a blond head on the pillow nearest her, and Victor's willowy frame under the quilt. Mitch sits up properly, frowning up at her and careful not to disturb him. She shakes her head and steps back, turning down the corridor before he can ask what's wrong. 

Mitch is in the kitchen making breakfast when she gets up the next morning, and explains in a quiet voice about, not bad exactly, but sleepless nights. Where the comfort of a familiar person, someone you'd shared a space with for years, can help.

\---

They're on the phone to Dom when he suddenly shouts in pain, gasping out Victor's name, and Mitch is on his feet immediately. Victor had only left around ten minutes ago, saying that he needed fresh air; they hadn't thought he was due for another attack yet. They run out the door, not pausing to put on shoes, the phone pressed to Syd's ear and head for the stairs up to the roof. The lady at check in had mentioned that the roof garden was always quiet at this time. 

They find Victor's crumpled form next to one of the benches and Syd can immediately tell that he's gone, his 'episodes' are definitely getting longer. Mitch gently rolls him onto his back, sits down and settles Victor's head in his lap, brushing his hair gently off his face.

It's only a few seconds before Victor gasps, chest inflating as he jerks off the ground. 

"Welcome back."

\---

A hand on her shoulder is the first thing that registers when she wakes from a nightmare and she flinches away instinctively, not sure where she is for a moment. 

"Hey little one." The bed beside her shifts as Mitch sits on the edge and his hand shifts from her shoulder to rub soothingly up and down her back. She catches a movement by the doorway and spots Victor leaning against the frame in the shadows. She manages a weak smile for him and gets a slight one in return, his face softer than she thinks she's ever seen before. 

They both stay until her breathing evens out, two steady presences watching over her. Mitch drops a quick kiss to the top of her head before eventually standing once he's sure she's calm. Dol slinks up the bed to take his place, shoving his nose into her cheek. She watches them as they leave and Victor's eyes catch hers again before he turns away, Mitch's hand guiding him by the small of his back.

\---

Mitch is in the kitchen, starting to make food when Victor comes in, Syd hears the door from where she's sitting on the couch, and Dol bounces to his feet to greet him. He gives her a tight smile on the way to the coffee machine; running his fingers through Dol's fur.

It takes her a couple of minutes to realise that he didn't start the machine, he just stands in front of it with one hand resting on the mug, lost his own head. Mitch has also noticed, eyes narrowed as he puts the spatula down and approaches him carefully.

"Hey." Victor shakes off his thoughts with a violent flick of his head and half turns towards Mitch, who reaches out slowly to rest one hand on his hip. Victor sags at the contact, his head falling forward against Mitch's shoulder for a couple of beats before straightening and turning back to make coffee. The whole exchange takes only a handful of seconds but Victor looks much more settled as he brings his mug over to join her on the couch. 

\---

Fingers brush through Syd's hair where she's leaning back on one of the dining chairs and she's surprised to see that the absent touch came from Victor instead of Mitch. 

She's also surprised when he extracts sausages and eggs from the fridge; Mitch had banned him from cooking after watching him burn his hands then just casually remove his pain and carry on. She watches carefully but he seems to be managing okay, moving on to make toast and pull plates out of the cupboard. 

By the time there's three full plates on the table, Mitch is out of bed and frowning at Victor from the doorway. He reaches out and gently catches one of Victor's wrists when he passes, turning his palms up so he can check for injuries. 

Victor relaxes slightly at the touch, gives one of his small smiles and briefly links their fingers, tugging Mitch towards the table. 

\---

Syd glances back on the way out of the lab, needing to see Eli on the floor, holes in his chest, one last time. But her steps stutter when she catches sight of Mitch and Victor instead. They're standing close together and she watches Mitch slowly reaches up a trembling hand to rest on the side of Victor's neck, thumb brushing along the bottom of his jaw. Victor's eyes slide shut and Mitch leans down to press their foreheads together. She carries on walking before she hears the quiet words they exchange, just the soft cadence of their voices.

Mitch only takes a couple of minutes to appear in the doorway behind her, jaw set and eyes sad. He reaches out and guides her towards the car with a hand on her back. They head out of town, both of them pretending for the other's sake that Victor will be there.


End file.
